Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Cape Town, A wicket on the stroke of tea restored the balance for South Africa after England made a solid start on the first day of the second Test at Newlands on Saturday.
England were 167 for three at tea after winning the toss and making first use of a pitch with good bounce but minimal sideways movement.
Alex Hales, playing in his second Test match, hit 60 —his maiden Test half-century — and shared stands of 55 with opening partner Alastair Cook and 74 for the second wicket with Nick Compton.
Compton was out for 45 in the last over before tea when he pulled a ball from Kagiso Rabada and was well-caught by a diving Temba Bavuma at midwicket. Rabada picked up two of the three wickets that fell to a depleted South African bowling attack, conceding 58 runs.
He earlier made the first breakthrough with the help of a superb catch by debutant Chris Morris.
Cook made 27 before edging Rabada low to third slip where Morris dived far to his left and held the ball centimetres above the ground. Hales reached his half-century off 96 balls but his innings lost momentum before he edged Morne Morkel to AB de Villiers at the second slip after facing a total of 140 balls. He hit ten fours. Joe Root made a shaky start, being dropped by Morris, flinging himself to his left from gully off Morkel when he had 13 and fending a good bouncer from Rabada into the air but short of the second slip when he was on 23, his score at tea.
Brief scores: England: 167/3 (A Hales 60, J Root 23*, N Compton 45, K Rabada 3/63) vs SA.
